Casing for electric signaling instruments.



No. 849,343. i PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. E. W. VOGEL.

CASING POR ELECTRIC SIGNALING INSTRUMENTS. APPLIOATION FILED 213.24, 1902.

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CASING FOR ELECTRIC SIGNALING INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24.1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED srarnsrjarnnr orrrcn EUGENE W. VOGEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR TO THE RAILROAD SUPPLY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CASING FOR ELECTRIC SIGNALING INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 190'?.

Application filed February 24, 1902. Serial No. 95,3 95.

To (ir/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE W. VOGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county ot Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and use'l'ul Improvement in Casings for Electric Signaling Instruments; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which 'forma part oi' this speci- 'licatioir My-invention relates in general to boxes or casings for inclosing and protecting electrical signaling instruments, and more particularly to a casing comprising two parts, one ot which sup. orts the electrical instrument and is rigidly ixed to a support, while the other part incloses the instrument and is securely, though removably, fastened to the first part.

In the art of electrical railway signaling it is necessary to locate instruments-such, for instance, as relays-adjacent to the track and to so'support the same that they may be readily inspected and at the Sametime thoroughly protected both from the weather and from injury at the hands of persons unauthorized to have access to the instruments.

T he object of my invention is to provide a casing for the purpose mentioned which will completely inclose and protect the instrument and which at the same time may be readily opened to permit the inspection of the instrument or its insertion or removal.

A further object of my invention is to provide a twoart casing of the character referred to wit fastening means for rigidly and yet detachably securing the t-wo parts together.

My invention, generally stated, consists in a base uponwhich the instrument is mounted and which is adapted to be fixed to a support7 a cover inclosing the instrument and resting upon the base, and a fastening device for securing the cover to the base comprising a swinging latch one end of which extends into a slot and is retained therein by the bow of the padlock, which also passes through the slot, or by othery suitable retainingT means.

My invention will be more fully described'` hereinafter with reference to the accompanving drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodied in two convenientand practical forms, and in which- Figure 1 is a liront elevation of one l'orm of my invention Fig. 2, a vertical section on line 2 2, Eig. 3; Fig. 3, a horizontal section on line 3 3, Fig. 1,. Fig. 4, a front elevation of a modiiied form of the invention; E ig. 5, a vertical sectional view on line 5 5, Fig. 4; and Fig. (i, a horizontal section on line 6 6 F ig. 5.

Similar reference characters are used to indicate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l, 2, and 3, letter A indicates the cover or removable portion of the casing, which is provided at its lower front and side edges with a depending ilange a, which is slightly oil'set from the cover, so as to form a shoulder a5. The cover is shown as comprising vertical front and side walls and a top uniting the same, while the back of the cover is left open. Handles a a6 may be provided at either side of the cover to facilitate the engagement and disengagement thereoi' with the base portion.

B designates the base of the casing, which comprises a horizontal portion and an upwardly-extending vertical portion b. The horizontal portion is provided on its' upper surface with a covering E, preferably of wood, of a size corresponding to the interior dimensions of the covering A, thereby forming a seat to receive the shoulder a5 of the cover. The edges of the u )right portion b of the base are provided with tenons b2, which are adapted to engage grooves ai', formed in the vertical edges of the open back portion of the cover A. The upper horizontal edge of the vertical portion Z) of the base B is inclined inwardly and then extends vertically upward a slight distance, forming a flange b4, which overlaps the corresponding interior edge of the cover A. A groove is formed between the inclined edge and flange b4, which receives a shoulder a4, formed upon the horizontal edge above the open back portion of the cover A. A downwardly-inclined flange a3 extends from the shoulder a and overlaps the inclined portion b3 at the upper edge of the vertical portion b of the base.

A horizontally-swinging latch C'is pivoted on the outer surface of the base B and is adapted to be swung into engagement with a IOO slot c, formed in the depending flange a of the cover A. The latch C is retained within the slot c by inserting within the slot in the path of the latch a keeper-as, for instance, the bow l of a padlock D.

A passage-way l*` extends through the vertical portion b of the base to permit the passage of the conductors to the instriunent within the casing. A shelf or partition vIl la may be located within the easing, preferably at a point opposite the passage-way F, so that the conductors which pass through the passage-way F may lead to instruments su p ported both on theliorizontal portion of thei5 base and also on the shelf H. Any suitable means may be provided for supporting the shelf H upon the base portion-as, for instance, brackets h h, fastened to the Afront face of the vertical portion b of the base and 2o extending horizontally therefrom in position to support the shelf. The base portion may be fixed by any desired means to a support, and for this purpose openings G G are provided in the vertical portion b, through which 2 5 fastening devices may pass.

The use and operation of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are as follows: Thebase portion B is secured to a support located at the desired point, 3o The electrical conductors are passed through the passage-way F to the instruments which are mounted upon the shelf H and wooden lining E on the horizontal portion of the base.

The cover A is then lifted, so that its lower 3 5 edge is slightly above the upper edge of the vertical portion b lof the base in order that the bottoms of the grooves a2 a? may receive the tops of the tenons b2 b2. The cover A is then allowed to slide downwardly until the 4o shoulder a5 rests upon the upper edges of the horizontal portion of the base, at which time the top of the horizontal portion b of the base engages with and overlaps the edge of the cover A at the top of its open back, The latch C is then swung into engagement with the slot c and the bow of the padlock passed through the slot, thereby preventing the end of the latch from being disengaged therefrom until the padlock is removed.

Referring to the modification illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, letter A indicates the cover, which comprises vertical front7 back, and side walls united by a top.v An oHset flange a surrounds the lower edge. of the cover, and a shoulder a5 is formed between the vertical walls. of the cover and the depending flange a. Slots cc are formed through the depending flange a at suitable points. B designates the base, which como prises a horizontal portion and depending vertical portion b.- The size of the horizontal portion of the base conforms to the interior dimensions of the flange a of the cover A. A lining E', preferably of wood, is sei cured to theupper face of the horizontal poryshoulder ai resting upon the saine.

tion of the base and conforms to the interior dimensions of the casing immediately above the flange a. A- seat is formed between the lining E and the horizontal portion of the base, which receives the shoulder a, formed within the cover A. A passage-way l" extends through the vertical portion b of the base and terminates in an opening formed in the horizontal portion of' the base adjacent to the rear edge thereof. A reinforcing web If extends between the under face of the horizontal portion and front surface of the vertical portion of the base B. A swinging latch C through an opening b, formed through the web b, and is pivotally secured beneath the horizontal portion of the base. The ends of the latch C are adapted to swing into the slots c c,formed in the depending flange a. The latch is retained in engagement with the slots by interposing in one of the slots the bow of a padlock in thev path of movement of an end of the latch.

The use and operation of the modified embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are as follows: The baseB is secured to a support located at any desired point by any suitable means-as, for instance, by fastening devices passing through the opening G. The electric conductors may .then be inserted through the passageeway l1" and connected to the instrument which is mounted upon the horizontal portion of the base. The cover A is then placed upon the base with the offset flange a surrounding the. horizontal portion thereof and with the The latch C is then oscillated so' that the ends consequently extends IOO thereof project through the slots c c in the flange a. A retaining device-as, for instance, the bow d of the padlock 1)-is then inserted throughone of the slots c in the path of movement of the corresponding end ofthe latch C.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an improved casing for'electrical signaling instruments, particularly relays, in which thorough protection both from the weather and injury from unauthorized. persons is secured and which permits the ready insertion and removal of the instrument or the inspection thereof .by merely removing one of the two portions of the casing, while the other portion, upon which the instrument is mounted, remains fixed to its support.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form,

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the`proportion of parts, and the substitution what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1., In a casing for electric instruments, the combination with a fixed base upon which the instrument is mounted and having a passage-way therethrough for the conductors connected to the instrument, of a removable cover inclosing the instrument and resting upon the base, a depending flange on the vcover surrounding the base and having a slot upon the horizontal portion of the base, a depending flange on the cover surrounding the edge of' the horizontal portion of the base and having a slot therein below the plane of the base, a swin ing latch pivoted beneath the horizontal portion of the base and adapted to engage the slot in said flange, and means for retaining the latch within the slot.

3. In a casing for electric instruments, the combination with a fixed base comprising a vertical portion having a passage-way therethrough and a horizontal portion upon which the instrument is mounted, of a horizontal shelf supported by said vertical portion in a plane opposite said passage-way whereby conductors may extend through said passageway to instruments both upon said horizontal portion of the base and upon said shelf, a removable cover inclosing the instruments and resting upon the horizontal portion of the base, a depending fiange on the cover surrounding the ed e of the horizontal portion of the base and aving a slot therein below the plane of the base, a swinging latch pivoted beneath the horizontal portion of the base and adapted to engage the slot in said flange, and means for retaining the latch Within the slot.

4. In a casing for. electric instruments, the

. combination with a fixed base comprising a vertical portion having a passage-way therethrough and a horizontal portion upon which the instrument is mounted, of a horizontal shelf supported by said vertical portion in a plane opposite said passage-way whereby conductors may extend through said passageway to instruments both upon said horizontal portion of the base and upon said shelf, a removable cover having grooves engaging the side edges of said vertical portion of the base and resting upon the horizontal portion of the base, a depending flange on the cover surrounding the base and having a slot therethrough below the plane of the base, a swinging latch pivoted to the base and adapted to engage the slot in said fange, and means for retaining the latch within the slot.

`5. In a casing for electric instruments, the.

combination with a fixed base comprising a vertical portion having a passage-way therethrough and a horizontal portion upon which the instrument is mounted, of a horizontal shelf supported by said vertical portion in a plane opposite said passage-way whereby conductors may extend through said passageway to instruments both upon said horizontal portion of the base and upon said shelf, a

removable cover having grooves engaging the side edges of said vertical portion of the base and restin upon the horizontal portion of thebase, over apping wedge-shaped fianges on the top of said vertical portion of the base and on said cover extending between the upper ends of said grooves, a de ending flange on the cover surrounding the ase and having a slot therethrough below the plane of the base, a swinging latch pivoted to the base and adapted to'` enga e the slot in said fia e, and means for retaining the latch within t e slot.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

` EUGENE W. VOGEL. Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON,

CLARAJ C. CUNNINGHAM. 

